Beautiful
by alohamora080
Summary: "Don't," Ted murmured, reaching for her hand once again. This time, Andromeda didn't stop him. "You're beautiful, Andromeda."


22 October 1968

Andromeda glanced fastidiously around the Slytherin Common Room, careful to ascertain that no eyes were upon her, before she hurried across the expanse, towards the dungeon doors. Hurriedly, she shoved the doors open and began tiptoeing up the dungeon's staircase.

"Don't think I don't know where you're off to."

Andromeda froze. Biting her lip and resisting a groan, she slowly turned around to meet her elder sister's fierce, knowing gaze. Bellatrix's dark eyes swept over Andromeda in distaste, her lips curling into a sneer.

Andromeda feigned confusion. "I—what are you talking about, Bella?"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "You're pathetic," she spat, drawing her wand and pointing it directly at Andromeda's steadily constricting chest. "I know where you're going. Andromeda, please stop this nonsense—I'll tell Mother, I swear."

"I'm not doing _anything_!" Andromeda exclaimed, as a surge of anger caught her unawares. "I'm just going up to the Astronomy Tower—"

"For another date?" Bellatrix hissed, her wand twitching in her hand. Andromeda knew she was just barely restraining herself. "With that Mudblood scum?"

"No," Andromeda replied calmly, looking her sister precisely in the eye. "We're just going to do some homework, Bellatrix—"

Bellatrix laughed derisively. "Liar."

In an instant, Andromeda's palms had curled into fists, her eyebrows knitting in indignation. "What is your problem?" she demanded. "We're going to do _homework_, Bella—I didn't choose for him to be my partner, all right? So, if—if you've got a problem, take it to Sinistra—" Andromeda stopped short, letting out a sharp cry of pain as something very cold and very solid collided severely with her face.

Her eyes watered, cheek muscles smarting. With trembling fingers, she reached up to touch her burning cheek, staring at her sister in shock. "Bella—!"

"Shut up," Bellatrix snarled. "And, don't you _dare_ go up to that Astronomy Tower, Andromeda. You don't want to know the consequences, trust me." And, with another sharp look of pure loathing in her younger sister's direction, she swept down the staircase, her knife-like footsteps echoing in the silence.

For several long moments, Andromeda simply remained rooted to the spot, a hand pressed to her still-throbbing cheek. Then, she staggered backwards into the dungeon wall and rested her jaw against the cool surface. She closed her eyes.

* * *

"Andromeda?" Ted asked, as she stumbled into the Astronomy Tower, half-an-hour late, her green and silver scarf pulled tightly around her neck and face. "What kept you?"

"Hi, Ted," she mumbled, advancing towards balcony railing and pulling a telescope forward. She fastidiously ignored his question. "Er—have you brought your chart?"

"Yeah," he said briefly, frowning at her peculiar clothing choice. "Hey, are you all right—?"

"I'm fine, Ted," she said firmly, averting his penetrating gaze. He simply couldn't know what had detained her. It was far too embarrassing of a revelation. And, as much as she might have grown to like Ted Tonks, this sort of conversation was completely out of the question.

Ted nodded slowly, the little crease between his eyebrows still somewhat present, as he stared down at his star chart. They worked in silence, quietly exchanging notes and scribbling down observations. They were very familiar with the other's work tactics. For some reason, every teacher in the school felt an inexplicable desire to pair them together for projects.

Suddenly, Bellatrix's suspicion regarding her relationship with Ted Tonks seemed very understandable to Andromeda.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

Ted's questioning voice startled Andromeda out of her reverie. She glanced up at him, quickly lowering her hand. "What?" she asked confusedly, arching a brow.

"You keep…you keep touching your cheek," Ted stated, considering Andromeda with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Are you _sure_ you're all right?"

"Mm-hmm." Andromeda pressed her lips together, ignoring the way her breath had suddenly caught in her throat, as she stared determinedly down at her star chart. Unsurprisingly, Ted was unconvinced.

With four long strides, he crossed the tower, until he was standing in front of her with his arms crossed. Andromeda stood very still, filled with a sudden sense of foreboding. Very slowly and hesitantly Ted's fingers found the scarf around her neck, and he began unraveling it, inch by inch. Andromeda wanted to pull away, demand that he stop at once. But, her body seemed to numb, and the accusations died in her throat.

Ted Tonks's eyes widened as they fell upon the dark, purple bruise under her eye. He gaped at her, shocked, and Andromeda saw a flash of anger cross his chiseled face. Her heart skipped several beats. This was very, very bad.

_He couldn't know._

"Who?" Ted demanded fiercely. "Who did it, Andromeda?"

At long last, Andromeda turned away, gripping her scarf tightly. "No one—it's nothing, really—please, Ted, let's just get back to our work—"

"Do you honestly think I'm just going to get back to work, now that I've seen that horrible mark on your face?" Ted flung his hands into the air, looking outraged.

To her utter humiliation, Andromeda found that her eyes had begun welling with tears. She impatiently wiped them away, an action which Ted seemed not to miss. His expression softened; he looked ashamed of himself. "Hey," he said quietly, catching her wrist. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"Forget it," Andromeda gave a shuddering sigh, immediately pulling her hand out of his grip. "I know it's hideous. Just forget—"

"Don't," Ted murmured, reaching for her hand once again. This time, Andromeda found that she didn't have the energy to stop him. "You're beautiful, Andromeda." He squeezed her hand, smiling slightly down at her.

"I—" Andromeda blinked at him, stunned. "Th—thank you."

As the two of them returned quietly to their star charts, Andromeda caught sight of the small smile, still playing at his lips. And, for the first time that evening, she allowed the corners of her own lips to tug slightly upwards, unable to shake the giddy feeling that, at that very moment, she was on top of the world.

* * *

This is for I promise you that's "The Best Feeling in the World" Challenge! My feeling was "being called beautiful." I really adored writing this. I love this couple and was astounded to find that I hadn't written about them, until now. :)

Yours sincerely,  
Alohamora


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